Wisconsin native Butch Vig (sitting on couch) returns to Milwaukee with Madison-formed alternative rock band Garbage. Saturday's show at the Eagles Ballroom will be the band's first in Milwaukee in nearly eight years. Photo provided.| April 5, 2013»Read Full Blog Post

When the singer released his 2012 album, "Emotional Traffic," it was his most mainstream pop and rock work to date. With this year's "Two Lanes of Freedom," he turned the wheel back toward the genre that made him a star. | July 6, 2013»Read Full Article

Elle magazine celebrates the July 4 holiday (it's still going on, apparently) with a state-by-state celebrity face-off competition called the All American Face Off.

And when the contest opens with Academy Award-winning actress Octavia Spencer going face-to-face with uber hunk Channing Tatum -- both were born in Alabama -- it makes a reader curious about the Wisconsin celebrities chosen to fight it out popularity-style. | July 5, 2013»Read Full Article

Jim Trelease, author of 'The Read-Aloud Handbook' and a veteran reading educator, offers some thoughts -- and a related story about tree surgery -- in this video for students and anyone else who has to read a book they don't want to read:

Wisconsin is known for its supper clubs, but it's rare when a new one opens. The owners of Chop Restaurant in Sister Bay have opened Max Supper Club in Baileys Harbor. And Mitch Ciohon, formerly of Sabor and Beta in Milwaukee, is the chef. | July 5, 2013»Read Full Blog Post

Barbecue isn't so much a Milwaukee thing, narrowly speaking. Sure, we grill bratwurst over charcoal like nobody's business, but barbecue is altogether different, cooking beef and pork low and slow until it's infused with wood-smoke flavor. Barbecue like that isn't broadly part of the culture, part of our DNA, the way it is in Texas, say, or North Carolina.

So it's a little stunning to see the profusion of smoked-meat establishments that have popped up in the past year or so. | July 5, 2013»Read Full Article(6)

Barbecue these days is extending far beyond what's typically considered its native habitat. A wave of barbecue restaurants has been opening from New York westward.

It could be that Southern cuisine in general is hot. Or maybe it's just that "smoked meat is awesome," said Daniel Vaughn, the barbecue editor at Texas Monthly and author of "The Prophets of Smoked Meat." | July 5, 2013»Read Full Article

THREE TO SEE: JULY 5

Something known:Tim McGraw (7:30 p.m. Marcus Amphitheater). The prolific country superstar has so much material, he could probably headline Summerfest every night with new songs for each show. Expect an emphasis on his latest hit album, "Two Lanes of Freedom." | July 5, 2013»Read Full Article

The Lowlands restaurant group, which owns Cafe Hollander in Wauwatosa’s village commercial district, is exploring opening a restaurant next door, in the Tudor-style building at 7700 Harwood Ave.

The city Plan Commission will take up a request Monday from Lowlands partner Mike Eitel and building owner Sean Phelan for a conditional use permit for a restaurant with patio seating. | July 5, 2013»Read Full Blog Post(1)

Hey everyone, I hope you found some appropriate way to celebrate independence yesterday, with fine people and fireworks, perhaps. Now that the weekend is afoot, the Art City contributors have once again called in some great ideas for infusing your weekend with art.

5 p.m. Friday

The second of the summer's Jammin' on Janesville events (last one is Aug. 2) in Muskego — held along Janesville Road from Moorland to Pioneer roads — kicks off with contests, $1 food deals, 11 bands and more. | July 5, 2013»Read Full Article

Valentine's tasting room officially opens Monday at 5918 W. Vliet St. in the Washington Heights neighborhood, after a brief soft opening, said founder Robb Kashevarof. Until now, Valentine has been primarily a wholesaler, supplying restaurants, selling its beans through other stores and making cups of coffee at farmers markets. | July 5, 2013»Read Full Blog Post

Milwaukee's Food for Thought group taps into chefs' nurturing streak, organizing quarterly dinners for the public that raise funds for charities near the chefs' hearts. At the same time, it lets them cut loose in the kitchen. | July 5, 2013»Read Full Article